Lutz Hüwel

Foundation For Graduate Study

Engineering comes in many “flavors” - mechanical and civil, biomedical and environmental, operations research and material science to name just a few. Early on you might not know which specific field is the one for you. But regardless of the particular area, a strong background in mathematics and the sciences is a must. Majoring in physics or mathematics is definitely one good way to prepare for graduate work in most fields of engineering whether your goal is a research or professional degree. (Note: entry level jobs do not normally require advanced degrees, which are typically sought by those interested in careers in research and/or teaching.) Of course, some other majors combined with core math and science courses can also provide you with a solid foundation: chemistry for chemical engineering; mathematics or computer science for computer engineering. If you wish to pursue environmental engineering, take advantage of Wesleyan's offerings in chemistry, biology, and environmental science. With such approaches, it is feasible to enter and successfully pursue graduate programs in Applied Physics or Engineering with a B.A. from Wesleyan – and that is indeed what some of our students have done in the past.